Throwback Thursday: 1968 Charger Gets M5 Engine Swap

Dropping a V8 Bomb

Engine swaps are nothing new – drop a V8 into a Jeep or an LS into a sports car. These are tried and true mods. But then there are the few out there who like to think outside the engine box, if you will, to see how much they can push the engine and car. Case in point: French drifter Alexandre Claudin. He took a 5.0-liter V8 from a BMW E39 M5 and dropped it into a 1968 Dodge Charger. But why? 

Extra exhaust pipes

The question is more like “why not?” Oh, and he didn’t stop here. Claudin then further modified the engine and headers to shoot flames out the hood for the purpose of terrifying anyone and everyone in sight. Custom-fab exhaust pipes exit both sides of the car’s front end fenders.

>>Join the conversation about Alexandre Claudin's enhanced 1968 Dodge Charger right here in Dodge Forum.

Sparco interior

Take a look inside and beyond buckets and buckets of baby blue paint, and you will find a pair of Sparco racing seats, a Sparco steering wheel, Wildwood pedals and a custom-fab, multi-point roll cage.

>>Join the conversation about Alexandre Claudin's enhanced 1968 Dodge Charger right here in Dodge Forum.

Take a look at this wing

While the oversized wing leaves little to be desired, you do have to appreciate the amount of time, effort and consideration that went into the fabrication and custom craftsmanship of this vehicle.

>>Join the conversation about Alexandre Claudin's enhanced 1968 Dodge Charger right here in Dodge Forum.

It’s meant to be driven

While it might look more like a display model, the vehicle is a full-purpose drift car that was created for the "Assasin’s Drift" team.

>>Join the conversation about Alexandre Claudin's enhanced 1968 Dodge Charger right here in Dodge Forum.

Did we mention it has a bit of Porsche in it too?

While the BMW E39 M5 S62B50 V8 engine being dropped into a 1968 Dodge Charger is certainly the headline here, also worth noting is the car’s use of a full Porsche Cayenne drivetrain. So, to conclude, it’s BMW in the front, Dodge in the body, and Porsche in the rear. Talk about your perfect Frankenstein vehicle!

>>Join the conversation about Alexandre Claudin's enhanced 1968 Dodge Charger right here in Dodge Forum.